Director of Laboratory Operations/Environmental Health and Safety Officer

Indiana Wesleyan University•Marion, IA

23d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Laboratory Operations/Environmental Health and Safety Officer (EH&S) manages Natural Sciences laboratory staff to accomplish the academic laboratory teaching goals of the unit and ensures the safety of students and safe disposal of hazardous materials. Campus wide, the EH&S officer coordinates with other academic and facilities units to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements for waste disposal and safety of academic laboratory and studio spaces.

Requirements

Bachelor Degree in Chemistry, Biology or related discipline
Lab Management experience
Supervisory experience
Chemical Hygiene experience
Project Management experience
Technical lab experience
Excellent interpersonal communication and writing skills
Accuracy and attention to detail is essential
Actively participate in policy forming discussions with administrators, faculty and staff
Knowledge and ability to train others on regulatory matters, procedures, and liability issues
Must be a self-starter with initiative and the ability to work independently
Strong team building, management and supervisory skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Decision-making abilities
Flexibility in handling a multitude of priorities as well as scheduling
Guide and direct projects assigned to student workers and adjunct faculty

Responsibilities

Supervise Assistant Lab Managers (Full-time Staff), and student employees
Ensure Assistant Lab Managers fulfill their Purpose for being in their assigned role: Support learning objectives established by faculty, establish work protocols for and supervise student employees, and provide optimum learning environment for the students
Collaborate with the Division Chair on matters of lab operations budget, student employee wage costs and tracking lab course costs
Coordinate with Facilities Services managers on Division projects requiring carpentry and/and utility work
Provide technical and advisory support for laboratory instructors and research Principal Investigators in regard to overall lab operations
Maintain a working knowledge of commonly used lab equipment in order to adequately consult with faculty/staff
Coordinate special projects within the DNS; especially those that bridge the departments (biology, chemistry and physics)
DNS liaison with I.T. for teaching lab and research lab computer issues
Keep the Division Chair well informed on the status of Lab Operations
Expand Smartsheet development – Lab Operations reminders and project status
Coordinate with the Campus Police Director to maintain safety and security within Ott Hall and Burns Hall for students, faculty, staff and guests
Assist the Campus Police Director in the training of Student Security Officers assigned to work in Burns/Ott Hall
Maintain the Building Emergency Plan (BEP) as required by the Director of Campus Police and Emergency Management
Develop training materials that correlate with the BEP
Chair the Building Safety Committee
Coordinate with Facilities Services to ensure all (DNS, DPT, OTD, PLN, and MECS) faculty, staff, student employees and students have necessary door entry swipe access programmed and linked to their ID card for exterior doors as well as specific labs/rooms
Coordinate with Facilities Services and Campus Police to establish building hours that properly facilitate the needs of each School and Division within Ott and Burns Hall throughout the academic year
Program electronic key boxes within Ott Hall and Burns Hall to ensure keys are available to those who need them (for labs and specific equipment)
Responsible for the interpretation of applicable regulatory Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health standards
Coordinate management of chemical waste accumulation in Research and Teaching labs in accordance with EPA standards; including regular inspections of Satellite Accumulation Areas and the Central Accumulation Area
Assist teaching Faculty and research Principal Investigators with the design of applicable safety training programs; determining safety equipment needs and selection of personal protective equipment for their labs
Chair the DNS Health and Safety Committee
Collaborate with the Division Chair on matters of the EH&S budget
Design and maintain online safety training modules
Conduct lab specific EH&S training sessions when deemed necessary for regulatory compliance continuity within/between departments
Ensure chemical and biological wastes are disposed appropriately and that disposal manifests are accessible for inspection
Provide department supervisors and research Principal Investigators with proper safety training recordkeeping
Oversee regular testing of safety equipment
Conduct Environmental and Occupational Safety program inspections within applicable laboratories and the DNS machine shop
Inspect chemical labeling, inventory, and storage
Staff, train and supervise student employees to assist with EH&S tasks
Expand Smartsheet development – EH&S inspection reminders and recordkeeping
Advise academic units and facilities services in the interpretation of applicable regulatory Environmental and Occupational Safety standards
Participate on the Regulatory Compliance Council, Campus Safety Advisory Group and other similarly related committees
Partner with the AVP of Facilities Services on EH&S issues pertaining to our campus-wide self-auditing program
Ensure that proper chemical inventory records are maintained campus-wide in an effort to comply with the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) reporting requirements
Coordinate departmental chemical waste accumulation in accordance with the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), to ensure our waste generator status remains at the lowest category possible
Partner with our chemical waste processing company to ensure we are following EPA regulations across campus. This includes bringing our contractor to campus for periodic inspections and procedural change recommendations
Monitor applicable Environmental and Occupational Safety compliance projects; including technical writing of OSHA written plans and the development of training materials